


Why Are You So Jealous?

by ElderofAvonlea



Category: Anne of Green Gables - L. M. Montgomery, Anne with an E (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, anne has had about enough of that, fraternity formal, gilbert doesn't know how to express feelings, jealous gilbert
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-23
Updated: 2019-11-23
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:01:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,585
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21537886
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElderofAvonlea/pseuds/ElderofAvonlea
Summary: Set in a modern college setting, Gilbert finds out the Charlie Sloane has invited Anne to his fraternity's formal, and she intends to go. Cue some intense jealousy and regret. Will he get up the courage to stop her from going?Rated Teen and Up for language and suggestive themes.
Relationships: Gilbert Blythe & Anne Shirley, Gilbert Blythe/Anne Shirley
Comments: 21
Kudos: 241





	Why Are You So Jealous?

**Author's Note:**

> If you aren't from the US, or don't know a lot about college fraternities here, just a quick note for context: formals are a weekend trip, typically off campus, and involve a dinner and dancing where people wear formal attire. Overnight, the couples stay at a hotel and typically dates share a bed or room, before coming back to campus at the end of the weekend.

“Hey! Anne!”

The redhead slowed her steps and looked over her shoulder to see a tall boy about ten paces behind her, a grin spreading across his cheeks as their eyes met.

She stuck her tongue out at him, her middle finger in the air, before turning back around and quickening her pace. A smug smile played on her lips.

“Hey! Anne, wait up!” Gilbert called again.

She buried her teeth in her bottom lip as she felt him fall into step beside her, his long legs closing the distance between them in only a few strides.

“So is it true?”

She glanced at him. Dark curls fell over his forehead, the ends dusting over his pinched brow. One rouge curl stuck up, defiant against the rest, just begging Anne to fix it.

“Wait,” she murmured, her left hand falling against his upper arm. He slowed and turned to face her, concern flashing in his dark eyes.

“What is it?” he asked.

“You’ve just got a…” She trailed off as she reached up, brushing the rebel curl back in line.

“Oh,” he said, a blush rising in his cheeks under her gentle touch.

“There we go,” she said, hand falling back to her side.

His dark eyes flickered between hers for a moment before Anne felt a similar heat crawling up her neck. She tore her gaze away, taking an interest instead in the toes of her boots.

“So is it true?” he asked again.

“Is what true?” Her eyes followed a squirrel that skittered across their path and up a nearby tree.

Gilbert moved to walk in front of her, his steps uneven as they searched behind him for their place to land. His brow was pinched again, his eyes dark and guarded.

“Are you going to formal with Charlie?”

Shit. Anne swallowed the lump that rose in her throat.

“Yeah, I am,” she said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Anne’s heart twisted at the hurt in his eyes.

“I’m telling you now,” she said, squinting up at him, her chin up and defiant.

The valley between his brows deepened.

“When-, how did he…” Gilbert trailed off, the tips of his ears pinking.

“How did he ask me?”

Anne smirked as his gaze become intent on her own. She lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper.

“Get this. He came up to me yesterday. I was standing right over there,” she pointed with her finger to a spot along their path, “and he said ‘Anne, would you like to go to formal with me?’ Can you believe that?”

Gilbert narrowed his eyes at her.

“Real funny, Shirley,” he deadpanned, a hot flush creeping over his collar. He didn’t smile at her teasing.

“Well do you like him?”

Anne shot him a confused glance.

“Why not? He’s nice enough.”

“You know that’s not what I meant,” Gilbert said, annoyance tinting his voice.

“Then what did you mean, Gilbert?” Anne asked sharply.

Gilbert flinched at the bite in her tone but answered the question.

“I mean, do you have… _feelings_ for him?”

Anne watched as apprehension tighten his beautiful features. She softened slightly, his expression making it seem as though his whole life depended on her answer.

“No, not really.”

“Not _really_?” Gilbert asked, clearly vexed.

“Not really, no,” Anne repeated.

They were coming up on the English building now, the bright banners for the newest series of visiting author chats flapping in the breeze outside.

“I’ve got a meeting for the newspaper. I’ll see you later?” She smiled, the warmth fading as the gesture wasn’t returned.

“Yeah. See you,” he said flatly. With a disheartened wave, Gilbert watched her disappear into the building, the door slowly falling closed behind her.

***

He didn’t bring it up again, and neither did Anne.

But that didn’t keep the knowledge of it from hanging in the air between them, the invisible elephant in the café, the library, wedged between them, hardly daring to breathe.

Gilbert couldn’t stop thinking about the way Charlie’s gaze would climb over her in her evening gown. How his eyes would snatch at her waist. How when they danced, his hand would sit too low on her back, and he’d hold her too close for pictures and conversation.

What boiled his blood the most was the knowledge that when it was all over, the dancing and the photos and the smiles and the drinking, Charlie would climb into bed beside her. She’d tell him how nice of a time she’d had, and he would tell her how beautiful she looked, and she would smile for him, her beautiful eyes shining. And when the lights went out, he would reach for her under the sheets, his fingers trailing against her arm, and she may not push him away.

The thought of it kept him up at night, and as much as Gilbert wanted to hate Charlie, wanted Anne to see that he wasn’t right for her, he knew that she wouldn’t, because Charlie was actually a good guy who deserved someone great. Just not Anne.

It couldn’t be Anne.

Anne, for her part, was mounting in nervous energy as the weeks slipped by too quickly and the days counted down.

Since accepting his invitation, Charlie had been giving her more and more attention, which wasn’t wholly unwelcome. He was good natured, tall, smart, handsome. What wasn’t there to like?

But when she found the royal blue gown of her dreams, turning on the pedestal in front of the mirror with Ruby and Diana gasping in delight behind her, all she could feel was a twinge of regret that Gilbert wouldn’t be there to see her in it.

“You’re devastating, Anne,” Diana gushed.

“Charlie won’t know what to do with himself,” Ruby echoed, clapping gleefully.

***

Before either of them was ready, the day arrived.

Knuckles fell against her door, the knock sounding through the apartment. Anne skittered out of her bathroom, clutching the skirt of her gown in her fingers to avoid tripping on it. She glanced at the clock on the microwave and groaned. Charlie was ten minutes early.

Tucking her hair behind her ears, she took a deep breath to steady herself, then opened the door.

As the door swung open, a tall, curly-haired boy in jeans and an old _Avonlea High_ t-shirt settled his gaze on her. Her heart leapt.

“Gil? What are you doing here?”

“Can I come in?”

“Um, yeah.” She stepped back to open the door further for him, careful to lift her satin skirt out of the way.

His gaze flickered over her as he came in, shutting the door behind him.

“You look incredible,” he said, his voice low and dismal, like the admission broke his heart.

Diana had been right. She was devastating. Anne’s heart swung at his compliment, a flush filling her cheeks.

“Thanks.”

She opened her mouth to ask again why he was there. Charlie would be at the door any minute, and she hadn’t yet finished packing her overnight bag.

“Don’t go with him,” Gilbert said, his brows pulling together as he stared at the floor. He jammed his hands in the front pockets of his jeans.

“What?” Anne asked, shocked.

He looked up, searching her grey eyes. The irises looked blue against the fabric of her dress.

“I don’t want you to go with him.”

“Why?” she asked, her heart constricting.

Had this been what she was waiting for? It felt like it.

She waited breathless for his answer.

“I don’t think... I don’t think he’s the right guy for you.” His gaze fell back to the hardwood.

“What are you saying? I thought you guys were friends!”

She watched his frustration build, the muscle jumping in his cheek. She was baiting him, she knew, but she had suddenly found herself tired of dancing around it.

Gilbert looked for words, finding none to say. She took a step closer to him, her pointed blue gaze staring into his dark eyes.

“Why are you so jealous?”

He balked, unable to meet her gaze.

“I’m not.”

“Yes, you are.”

She held him there.

His jaw set, his eyes steeling.

He raised his head and met her gaze as the only truth he could say aloud came from his lips. “I just-, I don’t want you to go with him.”

“Then do something about it, Blythe.”

Her eyes flashed, the sapphire burning as they stared at each other, her challenge stuck in the air between them.

Her breath caught as his gaze fell to her lips, their breaths short and hot between them.

If he had leaned into her, Anne would never know for sure.

A knock at the door made them both start. Gilbert stepped away from her, the muscle in his cheek flexing.

Anne swallowed roughly, blinking rapidly. Sucking in a breath and pressing her palms against her skirt, she straightened her shoulders and plastered a smile across her cheeks.

She opened the door. This time it was Charlie, looking handsome as ever in a fitted tuxedo. He offered her a shy, lopsided grin before catching sight of Gilbert over her head.

His smile faltered, his gaze hardening.

“Good night, Gil,” Anne said, her words thick with regret. “Let’s go, Charlie.”

With one last sorry look, she pulled the door closed between them and stepped out into the hall.

Gilbert held Charlie’s gaze until the closing door tore them from view, leaving him alone in Anne’s apartment.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!! This was a self-indulgent piece that I drafted two months ago and finally got around to editing. Leave a kudos and a comment to let me know if you enjoyed it! 
> 
> You can connect with me on Tumblr @elderofavonlea for more!
> 
> <3


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